Signal-lantern



,286. Patented May I6, |899.

E. ARMSTBDNG.

SIGNAL LANTEHN.

(Application led Dec. 23, 1898.)

2 sham-sheet r.

(N0 Model.)

.foooo'f No. 625,286. Y Patented May I6, |899. E. ARMSTRONG.

SIGNAL LANTEHN.

. (Application led Dec. 23, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST ARMSTRONG, OF OAMDEN, NEV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE INSTANT LlGHTER AND NOVELTY COMPANY, OF NEV JERSEY.

SIG NAL-LANTERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,286, dated May 16, 1,899.

Application filed December 23., 1898. Serial No. 700.096. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it ntfty concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Camden, State of New Jersey, haveinvented anew and useful Improvementin Signal-Lanterns, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of a signal-lantern in which different colors may be displayed, constructed of a number of cylinders adapted to be held above the vlamp of the lantern or lowered and illuminated by the same, and catches having noses of varying lengths, so that each nose engages with a dierent cylinder or body. Provision is also made for retaining the several cylinders or bodies in lowered position by a common fastening, and other features are presented, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims that follow the specification.

Figure l represents a side elevation of a signal-lantern embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a horizontal view thereof on line fc 5c, Fig. l. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of one of the cylinders of the lantern. Fig. 4 represents avertical section of said cylinder. Fig. 5 represents a vertical section of the lantern on an enlarged scale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a signal-lantern, which, excepting the feature of my invention applied thereto, is of usual construction.

B designates concentric cylinders of transparent or translucent material of different colors, all of the same being adapted to be placed in elevated position in the upper portion or gallery C of thelantern and either of them to be lowered so as to be illuminated by the lamp of the lantern, one of said cylinders as lowered being shown in Fig. 5.

In the upper part of the gallery are spring-` catches D, which have noses of different lengths owing to the different diameters of the cylinders, said noses projecting inwardly, so that they engage, respectively, with the different cylinders, it being noticed that each cylinder has at its upper end a ring E, which is raised above the top rim of said cylinder, forming a space into which the respective nose may enter and act as an abutment, a shoulder forinterlocking the cylinder with its proper catch, said rim and ring being connected with the strenghtening and supporting frame G of the cylinder.

The bottoms of the cylinders are each pro` vided with the ring lil, which is separated from the adjacent rim J,`thus'forming a space for the reception of the spring-pressed stem K, which is mounted in the lower portion of the frame of the lantern and may be of such length that it may engage with either cylinder as lowered. y

It will now be seen that when a certain color is to be displayed the respective catch D is drawn out, whereby its nose leaves the ringE ofthe cylinder, and as said latter is no longer controlled it drops and is rested on the base portion of the lantern and so is illuminated. The stein K is also operated so as to engage the bottom ring H of said cylinder, thus controlling the cylinder against movc ment and rattling. When the stem is drawn out, the cylinder may be raised and then engaged with its respective catch and so again p held in elevated position.

In order to permit the introduction of the iinger through the guard of the lantern to reach the cylinder to be raised, said guard is provided with a vertical channel L, formed in the present case by separating a certain portion of said guard and uniting the ends of said portion by the vertical wires or rods M, thereby forming a free vertical passage in said guard, as most clearly seen in Fig. l.

The lantern is provided with the usual chiin ney N for the white light, which, however, does not interfere with the illumination of either of the cylinders B when lowered around l said chimney.

The cylinders are of different heights, so that the rings thereof are disposed one above the other, whereby each will be engaged by the proper catch without interfering one with the other.

The sides or bodies of the cylinders will be preferably formed, of pliable material, such as celluloid, the same being light and sufciently strong and not liable to be broken. The frames G sustain and stien said bodies and prevent closing and buckling of the same, they being soldered or otherwise firmly secured to the rims F and J and so keeping the latter and the rings E held properly apart.

The ring of each cylinder may be continuous or in segments, but preferably continuous for purposes of strengthening both the ring and the end of the cylinder.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y 1. In a signal-lantern, avertically-movable colored cylinder, a frame connected With said cylinder, a shoulder secured to said frame and separated from said cylinder, and a catch on the lantern adapted to engage said shoulder when the cylinder is in elevated position.

2. In a signal-lantern, concentric cylinders of transparent material of different colors, each provided with a ring secured to said body and separated therefrom at the end thereof and a catch on the lantern Whose shoulders of the Wider cylinders and engage With the shoulder of the narrowest cylinder.

4. In a signal-lantern, a plurality of vertically-movable colored cylinders, shoulders on the upper and lower ends of each cylinder, catches having noses of different lengths adapted to engage the upper shoulders, and a stem adapted to engage the lower shoulders as a common fastening therefor.

ERNEST ARMSTRONG.

NVitnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, WM. C. WIEDERSHEIM.

ssY 

